Out Past Dark
by accioamber
Summary: Ron and Hermione go for a midnight stroll and get closer. Entry to the Stimulate Your Senses challenge. Read A/N inside. Rated T just to be safe, it's really not bad though.


A/N: First...I don't own anything from Harry Potter...lol.

This is my entry into they_say_that_im_crazy's Stimulate Your Senses challenge. My five senses to use were:

Texture: Smooth  
>Scent: Wet paint<br>Taste: Cookie Dough  
>Sound: Pages turning<br>Sight: Rusty

Hope you enjoy!

"Ronald, we really should not be doing this! I don't know why I let you talk me into this." Hermione said, keeping her wand drawn protectively as they snuck down the corridors. "It's not like we couldn't just have stayed in the common room." She sounded nervous, but there was a shy smile playing on her lips.

Suddenly, Ron stopped in front of an empty wall and closed his eyes. After a few moments, the wall transformed into a door, made out of rusty metal. Hermione walked up and took in the door in its entirety; rusted as if it had been made many years ago and withstood many winters. "The Room of Requirement." She whispered, then she opened the door.

Ron followed her inside and shut the door. It vanished, leaving them alone in a room with a long, comfortable couch, many chairs, a fireplace, Quidditch posters on the walls and a bookshelf full of big, old dusty books.

"It's amazing," Hermione said breathlessly, rushing over and picking up one of the books. Ron sank into the couch and heard her flipping through page after page, occasionally murmuring to herself.

Ron listened to the sound as she turned the pages, a sound that he had come to associate with Hermione. He didn't think he'd be able to ever hear it and not think of her. It would forever remind him of homework and study schedules, of a beautiful girl, flipping through the pages of a book and trying to find something to save them.

"I told the room I needed somewhere to take someone I cared about. A girl that I cared about and wanted to be with." He said, and she looked up from the book. A smile played at Ron's lips.

"Ronald Weasley. If I didn't know better I'd think you were serious." Hermione said, setting the book down and sitting on the couch. She edged a little closer to him, and looked into his eyes. He moved a little closer to her.

"I am serious." He said, taking her hand in his. Her hand was smooth, a contrast to his rough and callused hands that were a result of playing Quidditch and gripping a broomstick. That was how they were together- pointed differences that somehow came together the right way. She was smooth and studious, while he was rough and careless. They drove each other nuts at times, but who was to say that wasn't the recipe for a perfect relationship?

Before she knew it, Hermione found herself kissing Ron, and it was unclear as to who went first. It was new and fresh and slightly raw, but after almost six years of knowing each other and being best friends, he was a visceral part of her. It felt right, to both of them, as if they'd both finally found the matching pieces to the puzzle. Ron's mouth tasted like cookie dough, probably from an illegal trip to the kitchens, and she wondered if he'd had cookie dough ice cream or some before it baked in the oven. Hermione smelled vaguely like wet paint, from some project she was completing for Ancient Runes or Muggle Studies or one of her other countless classes she was in (Ron could never keep them all straight).

They continued to kiss for a little while, and a few moments later, Hermione felt Ron's hands traveling south, running over her stomach and then sides before ending at the button to her jeans. She pulled away and sheepishly looked around. "We'd better get back to the Common Room, otherwise we'll be caught out of bed after dark."

"Yeah, I suppose we should." Ron muttered, his face turning a bright red. They both stood up at the same time and straightened their clothes. Ron's hair was standing up in the back and Hermione's shirt was askew, showing her stomach and revealing her button half undone. She quickly fixed herself before they both left in silence.

By the time they got back to the Common Room, there were only a few students left, burning the midnight oil. Most everyone else had gone upstairs to their dormitories. Both Ron and Hermione went their separate ways, until she felt a light touch on her elbow.

"Listen, about what happened, at the end...I just want you to know...I would never do anything unless you were completely comfortable with it," Ron said under his breath, appearing to study his shoes.

Hermione nodded. "Thanks." They both parted ways with a smile into their dormitories.

Two days later, Harry stretched and muttered something about going to bed early. As he disappeared upstairs, Hermione, who had been stretched out in front of the fire, closed her Potions textbook and looked up at Ron.

"Fancy a midnight stroll?"

A/N: I've never done a Ron/Hermione before but I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out. : )


End file.
